Galatians 3:15-25 – The Law and The Promise – Rev. Aaron Anderson, June 1, 2014

Galatians 3:15-25

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Law and the Promise

15 To give a human example, brothers:[a] even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.20 Nowan intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.24 So then, the law was ourguardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,